Training Soccer Ball

ABSTRACT

A soccer ball having an opening formed in an outer surface of the ball and a connection element having a female portion fit within the opening and a male portion, having a first end configured to removably engage the female receiving portion and a second end having a partially open connection element. An elongated flexible element engages at a first end with the partially open connection element of the male portion.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The application claims the filing benefit of Chinese Utility Model Application No. 201520773012.8 filed Oct. 6, 2015—the contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is related to a multifunction training soccer ball. The training soccer ball includes a connection device and pull-up string which is connectable to a person or object for training purposes.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

None.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In order to practice soccer, players will sometimes utilize balls which have a sting or rope like element attached to the ball in order to more efficiently perform certain drills. Typically these string or rope like elements are either permanently affixed to the ball, or require connection to an element fixed on the outer surface of the ball, rendering the ball unsatisfactory for normal usage as the outer surface is uneven. Whether having a connection element on the surface of the ball or having a string or rope element permanently fixed to the ball, a second ball has to be purchased in order for a user to have both a training ball and a ball for simply playing soccer. Balls which have a connection element formed thereon or a fixed string or rope element also may have problems with tangling or knotting in the string or rope element as the connection element is fixed in place as the ball is used.

Other known devices include string or rope like elements having a netting pocket formed on one end to keep the ball connected to string or rope. While an ordinary ball can be inserted into the netting pocket, the netting pocket can be engaged or snagged on various elements while in use, causing the ball to become stuck and requiring the user to stop and disengage the netting. In addition to being inefficient and potentially damaging the netting pocket requiring a replacement to be purchased, it may also lead to a hazard as the user may be cut or otherwise harmed when disengaging the netting pocket from whatever it has become snagged on. Additionally, the netting pocket will wear down over time, again requiring replacement of the device. If the netting pocket breaks while in use, the ball may escape leading less efficient training and potentially a lost ball.

Accordingly, it would be advantageous to design a tethered soccer ball for training which can also be used as a regular soccer ball is desired, eliminating the need for having to purchase two balls, one for training and one for playing.

It would be further advantageous if the tether was connected to the soccer ball in a way which prevents tangling or knotting of the tether when in use.

It would be further advantageous if the tether could be removed from the ball to allow usage of the ball as either a training ball or a regular soccer ball.

It would be further advantageous if netting or other holding means which may become snagged and damaged while training or through ordinary use were no longer required to use a regular soccer ball for a training ball.

The present invention is provided to solve these and other issues.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a training soccer ball having a partially removable connection device which allows for tethered or untethered use of the ball.

According to one aspect of the invention, a soccer ball having an opening formed in an outer surface of the ball is provided. The ball includes a connector having a female portion and a cooperative male portion to removably engage the female portion. The female portion is located within the opening in the outer surface of the ball so that the top surface of the female portion is flush with the outer surface of the soccer ball. The female portion includes a female receiving portion to facilitate engagement. The male portion has a first end configured to removably engage the female receiving portion, and a second end having a partially open connection element. The ball includes an elongated flexible element which may be engaged at a first end with the partially open connection element of the male portion.

The female receiving portion and the first end of the male portion may be formed in any connective manner known in the art. For example, the female portion may be a threaded nut, while the first end of the male portion includes complementary threading for engaging and screwing into the nut. Alternatively, the male portion may snap fit within the female receiving portion to facilitate removable engagement. The female portion may also surround and house an air valve for the ball. The air valve may be positioned, for example, in the base of the female portion.

In order to prevent tangling of an engaged elongated member, the second end of the male portion may be rotatably coupled to the first end. The second end may be directly connected to the first end, for example in a ball and joint type configuration which allows the second end to rotate 360 degrees as needed. Alternatively, the male portion may include an intermediate portion fixed between and connected to both the first end and the second end. The second end may be rotatably coupled to the intermediate portion while the first end is fixed to the intermediate portion. In this arrangement, the intermediate portion may provide an easier grip portion to facilitate engagement or disengagement of the fixed first end of the male portion with the female receiving portion, while also providing a rotatble connection for the second end of the male portion to prevent the elongated flexible element from tangling.

Other advantages and aspects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description of the drawings and detailed description of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a soccer ball having the male portion, the female portion and the elongated flexible element all engaged;

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a soccer ball having the male portion, the female portion and the elongated flexible element all engaged;

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the male portion, the female portion and the elongated flexible element all engaged away from the soccer ball;

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the male portion of the connection element; and

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the female portion of the connection element;

FIG. 6 shows portion A of the soccer ball of FIG. 1 having the female portion integrated therewith and the male portion disengaged; and

FIG. 7 shows a top view of the portion of the soccer shown in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

While this invention is susceptible to embodiments in many different forms, there is described in detail herein, preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosures are to be considered as exemplifications of the principles of the invention and are not intended to limit the broad aspects of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a soccer ball as contemplated by the present invention having a connection element and elongated flexible element full engaged therewith, while FIGS. 6 and 7 show a portion of the soccer ball of FIG. 1 with a portion of the connection element and the elongated flexible element disengaged.

Soccer ball 10 is a general soccer ball having an outer surface 12. Within outer surface 12 is an opening 14 having a female portion 16 of connection element 18 fitted therein. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, male portion 20 of connection element 18 engages female portion 16 at a first end 22, while second end 24 of male portion 20 includes a partially open connection element to engage an elongated flexible element 26. First end 28 of elongated flexible element 26 engages second end 24 of male portion 20. Second end 30 of elongated flexible element 26 may also include a connection element 32 for tethering the soccer ball using elongated flexible element (and the connected soccer ball) to a user or a fixed body for training. Tethering may provide for better and more efficient training, as the a user can practice or learn to dribble the ball while it is tethered to the user, or work on passing or kicking accuracy while the ball is tethered to a stationary object or ground anchor.

As seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, when male portion 20 and elongated flexible element 26 are disengaged from female portion 16, the outer edge or rim 42 of female portion 16 sits flush with outer surface 12 of soccer ball 10. Fitting the female portion within opening 14 and configuring the top edge or rim of the female portion flush with the outer surface of the soccer ball allows for the soccer ball to be used in either the training configuration with the male portion and elongated flexible element engaged, and to be an ordinary soccer ball when the male portion and elongated flexible element are disengaged. This allows for a single soccer to be both a training ball and a regular ball, eliminating the need to have two separate balls. In order to avoid damage or unwanted debris from being entering the female portion of the connection element when the male portion is disengaged, a plug or the like may be provided.

FIG. 3 shows connection element 18 and elongated flexible element 26, isolated with the male and female portions engaged, while FIG. 4 shows male portion 20 isolated and FIG. 5 shows female portion 16 isolated.

As seen in FIGS. 3-5, first end 22 of male portion 20 and interior or receiving portion 34 of female portion 16 may be cooperatively threaded to facilitate engagement. In this configuration, the male portion may screw in and out of the female portion.

Rather than be threaded, the first end of the male portion and interior or receiving portion of the female portion may cooperate and engage in other manners. For example, first end 22 of male portion 20 have a protrusion and/or a rib formed therein, while a cooperating ridge is formed in the interior 34 of female portion 16 into which the protrusion and/or rib snap fit to facilitate engagement.

Regardless of the type of configuration for facilitating engagement between the male and female portions, the female portion is substantially hollow to permit entry of the first end of the male portion. In some embodiments, the hollow nature of interior 34 of female portion 16 will allow for an air valve 36 to be housed therein (see FIG. 7). Placing an air valve within opening 14 and inside interior 34 of female portion 16 may act to protect the valve.

In order to engage elongated flexible element 26, second end 24 of male portion 20 includes a connection element formed as partially open having an opening or through hole 38 to allow first end 28 of elongated flexible element 26 to engage the second end. Though shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 as an eye, the connection element of second end 24 may also be a hook, a clip, a loop, a plate with a through hole, a buckle, a latch, a clamp, a receptacle or protrusion to facilitate a snap fit engagement with the second end of the elongated flexible element, or any other element known in the art which would enable the elongated flexible element to engage the second end, alone or with the use of a cooperating connector or element.

Elongated flexible element 26 may be resilient or elastic, or may be non-elastic, and may be a rope, a cord, a chain, a string, or a cable and configured in any desired length. The elongated flexible member may be of a length, for example, so that it can be fixed to a user's wrist or waist during practice, or enable great length between multiple users with the second end of the elongated flexible member being fixed to a pole or object or the like. In order for first end 28 of elongated flexible element 26 to engage the partially open connection element of second end 24 of male portion 20, first end 28 may include connector 40. Connector 40 may take any form which will cooperate with the connection element of the second end to facilitate engagement, like for example a loop as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Alternatively, first end 28 may include any other known connector to facilitate permanent or removable engagement between the elongated flexible element, like for example a clip, a hook, a mating snap fit protrusion or receptacle, a clamp, a receiving hole. Connector 40 may, for example, loop around the connection element of second end 24 in order to provide a tether or the like for the soccer ball when engaged with the male portion.

While connector 40 may be permanently engaged with second end 24, in some embodiments it is advantageous if connector 40 is disengageable from second end 24. Disengage ability of connector 40, and consequently elongated flexible element 26, allows for the elongated flexible element to be replaced if it becomes damaged or loses a desirable property, like for example some elasticity or resiliency without having to replace the entire male portion 20.

In order to avoid knotting or tangling during usage of the soccer ball with the male portion and elongated flexible element engaged with the female portion, the connection element of second end 24 may be directly or indirectly rotatably coupled to first end 22. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, for example, second end may be rotatable in direction R, so that as a connected soccer ball is kicked, the connection can rotate to prevent knotting and tangling. In order to facilitate the rotation, the connection element of the second end may be, for example, ball jointed with first end 22 or an intermediate portion 42 connecting the first and second end together. Instead of being ball jointed, the connection element and second end may be held in place in a manner which allows for movement and rotation of the connection element without disengaging, by for example, having a plate or widened base fit within a hollow intermediate portion or first end with a collar or the like preventing the widened base from escaping the hollow portion.

While in the foregoing there has been set forth various embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof. The present embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein. While specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the characteristics of the invention and the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A soccer ball comprising: an opening formed in an outer surface of the ball; a connector having a female receiving portion, the female receiving portion being fit within the opening; a male portion, the male portion having a first end configured to removably engage the female receiving portion and a second end having a partially open connection element; and an elongated flexible element being engaged at a first end with the partially open connection element of the male portion.
 2. The soccer ball of claim 1 wherein the female portion is a threaded nut.
 3. The soccer ball of claim 2 wherein the first end of the male portion includes complementary threading for the nut.
 4. The soccer ball of claim 1 wherein the male portion snap fits with the female portion to facilitate removable engagement.
 5. The soccer ball of claim 1 wherein the partially open connection element is a hook.
 6. The soccer ball of claim 1 wherein the partially open connection element is an eye.
 7. The soccer ball of claim 1- further comprising an air valve, the air valve being disposed within the female receiving portion.
 8. The soccer ball of claim 1 wherein the elongated flexible element is elastic.
 9. The soccer ball of claim 1 wherein the second end of the elongated flexible element includes a connector.
 10. The soccer ball of claim 9 wherein the connector is a loop.
 11. The soccer ball of claim 1 wherein the male portion includes an intermediate portion between the first end and the second end, wherein the partially open connection element of the second end is rotatable coupled to the intermediate portion. 